On March 4, 1681, King Charles II granted William Penn a charter for a new American colony. Pennsylvania was to be, in its founder's words, a bold "Holy Experiment" in religious freedom and toleration, a haven for those fleeing persecution in an increasingly intolerant England and across Europe. An activist, political theorist, and the proprietor of his own colony, Penn would become a household name in the New World, despite spending just four years on American soil. Though Penn is an iconic figure in both American and British history, controversy swirled around him during his lifetime. In his early twenties, Penn became a Quaker-an act of religious as well as political rebellion that put an end to his father's dream that young William would one day join the English elite. Yet Penn went on to a prominent public career as a Quaker spokesman, political agitator, and royal courtier. At the height of his influence, Penn was one of the best-known Dissenters in England and walked the halls of power as a close ally of King James II. At his lowest point, he found himself jailed on suspicion of treason, and later served time in debtor's prison. Despite his importance, William Penn has remained an elusive character-many people know his name, but few know much more than that. Andrew R. Murphy offers the first major biography of Penn in more than forty years, and the first to make full use of Penn's private papers. The result is a complex portrait of a man whose legacy we are still grappling with today. At a time when religious freedom is hotly debated in the United States and around the world, William Penn's Holy Experiment serves as both a beacon and a challenge.

"Andrew Murphy's William Penn: A Life is a long overdue, revisionary interpretation of this icon in America's pantheon. Readers of all stripes will welcome this addition to their bookshelf of Americana." - Journal of Religion

"Excellent and highly readable...Andrew R. Murphy may well be the world's greatest authority on William Penn.... This authoritative biography thus represents the culmination of a long and deep engagement with the life and ideas of William Penn and the broader religious and political context in which he lived. It is a tremendous achievement—a definitive biography that will last for many years to come." - American Historical Review

"Murphy gives us a meticulously researched account of the nuances of Penn's dealings with the varied issues and groups he confronted during his extraordinary life, providing an invaluable resource for anyone with a serious interest in the history of Quakerism, the development of governmental theory, or the vexed politics of Penn's 'holy experiment'." - Richard Francis, Spectator

"an outstanding achievement ... we are offered as much biographical detail as anyone could desire ... [Penn] has found a fine biographer in Andrew Murphy." - Jonathan Wright, The Herald

"Andrew Murphy's scholarly and pleasurable biography is extensively researched in the two continents and is at home in both ... William Penn is a model of fair-mindedness." - Blair Worden, Literary Review

"An important contribution to our understanding of the life and legacy of William Penn." - Quaker Religious Thought

"enlightening" - The Friend

"There is much to applaud in Murphy's biography. His careful reading of Penn's papers and attention to detail affords readers unique insights into this complicated man and his legacy." - Robynne Rogers Healey, Journal of Church and State